58 



The Spruces 



sharply pointed, about 3 mm. long, their closely fitting light red-brown scales mi- 

 nutely hair\'. The 4-sided leaves are from 0.5 to 1.5 cm. long, somewhat nar- 

 rowed toward the blunt tip, slightly incurved, standing outward in all directions 

 from the branches; they are Hght bluish or glaucous green, Hghter on the upper 

 surface with many stomata, shining beneath. The staminate flowers are oblong or 

 cylindric and reddish. The cones are ovoid, 2 to 3 cm. long, pointed at the end, 

 rounded or narrowed at the base into a short, bent stalk, w^hich is covered with 

 persistent bracts; they are dull purpUsh brown when mature and often become 

 nearly globular when the scales expand, remaining on the tree for many years ; 

 their scales are nearly orbicular, stiff, rounded, irregularly notched or entire; the 

 seed is oblong, about 3 mm. long, dark brown, its wing pale brown and shining. 

 The wood is soft, weak, coarse-grained, yellowish white with a specific gravity 

 of about 0.52. It is seldom sawed into lumber except in the region of its greatest 

 development, Manitoba, where it is utiHzed as the Red spruce is eastward. In 

 cultivation it has proven a failure on account of losing its lower branches and 

 otherwise becoming unsightly. Forms of this tree with large cones sometimes 

 very closely resemble the preceding species. 



SOUTHERN SPRUCE Picea australis Small 

 Picea alba Chapman, not Link 



This occurs on summits and rocky slopes of mountains in Virginia and North Carolina. To 

 determine whether it is really a distinct species requires further investigation, as it is imperfectly 

 known. It differs from the Red spruce in its more slender, less hairy twigs with smoother ster- 

 igmata, more slender, acute light green leaves and much smaller cones, which are said to fall 

 off directly after shedding their seed. From the Swamp spruce it differs in its habitat, its bright 

 green foliage and brighter, early deciduous cones. 



This spruce attains a maximum height of 40 meters and a trunk diameter of 1.5 meters. 

 Its bark is comparatively smooth. The leaves are slender, usually straight, 8 to 14 mm. long, 

 less than i mm. thick and sharp-pointed. The oval or ovoid cones are bright green when young, 

 2.5 cm. long, red-brown at maturity. 



4. WESTERN WHITE SPRUCE -Picea albertiana Stewardsoii Brown 



This recently described species 

 ranges from Wyoming and ]Mon- 

 tana north and westward into 

 British Columbia, sometimes at- 

 taining a height of about 25 me- 

 ters with a trunk diameter of i 

 m., though often smaller. 



The branches are short and 

 stout. The twigs are rather slen- 

 der, smooth, and light yellow, 

 becoming darker with age. The 

 Fig. 45. Western White Spruce. leaves are slender, sharp -pointed, 



